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After a long and tiring NHL season, Ryan Jones likes to get away from hockey talk for awhile.

That's been difficult this summer for the Chatham native.

The Edmonton Oilers winger spends his off-seasons in Minnesota, which briefly became the centre of the hockey universe last month when the Wild signed highly coveted free agents Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to 13-year, $98-million contracts.

“There's been a crazy, crazy buzz in the air,” Jones said. “It's exciting because that's definitely a hockey hotbed.”

Forwards Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will be only 22, 20 and 19 years old, respectively, when the season begins.

“They'll win a Cup, that group of guys," said Jones, 28. "I'll make a guarantee of that.”

Jones returned to Chatham for two weeks in July to run the Ultimate Hockey Camp.

He set career-highs last season in points (33) and assists (16). He had 17 goals after scoring a career-best 18 in 2010-11.

While he didn't pay much attention to off-season rumours, fans did. Even the guests at goalie Devan Dubnyk's wedding pumped Jones for info on the Oilers' head coaching search before Ralph Krueger was hired.

“Do you read the papers?” Jones asked them. ""'Of course I read the papers.' Then you know more than I do, because I don't.”

Jones and his wife, Jamie, live near Lake Minnetonka.

He'd been home for only two weeks when Calgary’s Tim Jackman sent a text inviting him to work out. Jones couldn't say no.

“I'll be damned if I let a Flame beat me into the gym,” he said.

Jones trains with five other NHLers in Eden Prairie, Minn. Their group is just the right size for the ex-Maroon.

“It's big enough to get guys in there and motivate you, and small enough to not worry about having five-hour workouts with that many guys," he said.

The off-season is a great time to improve his strength, explosiveness, puck-handling -- things that players can't always work on during the hectic regular season, Jones said.

He's gotten lighter, at least on top. Gone are his trademark long locks, known to Oilers fans as The Flow.

“I had to cool it down for awhile," he said. "It gets hot in the summer.”

Jones has started growing his hair back. He likes the attention it receives.

“It separates you from everybody else and makes you a little more recognizable, which is fun," he said.

He visited Edmonton for a few weeks in the off-season after cutting his hair. He's one of the most popular Oilers but, without his hair, only one person recognized him.

Jones didn't watch many Stanley Cup playoff games. He made sure to watch the final, though.

Two of his former Miami University teammates -- Andy Greene of New Jersey and Alec Martinez of Los Angeles -- faced off for the Cup.

Ex-Maroons teammate Kevin Westgarth also plays for the Kings, but he sat out the final.

“It was kind of cool," Jones said. "I'd never seen anybody I know win it. I wasn't sure how I'd feel, if I'd be jealous or envious. It's funny how proud you are to see somebody you know win it.”

Now Jones wants to raise the Cup himself.

The Oilers, however, have missed the post-season six straight years.

They looked like a playoff contender at times last season but lacked experience, Jones said.

“If there was anything we needed, it was just maturity," he said. "We've got young hockey talent that will only get better with maturity and experience.”

The roster includes Sam Gagner, a son of Chatham native and former all-star Dave Gagner. He turns 23 this month with five NHL seasons already under his belt.

Jones is going into his fifth NHL season.

While the Oilers collect No. 1 picks like they're hockey cards, Jones sees himself playing a valuable role.

“There's a lot of skill in our lineup, but there's a need for a versatile guy, a gritty guy," he said. "Just because of how much skill there is, you'll always have to insert a gritty guy in the lineup to keep guys honest.”

He played with Ryan Smyth and Shawn Horcoff early last season. When injuries piled up late, he skated on the top line with Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins, picking up seven points during a six-game stretch.

“It was fun,” he said. “It was interesting to play with two guys like them. ... And obviously by my point production, they're two pretty darn good hockey players.”